Thursday, May 26, 2011

Yesterday we had a lovely trip out to a friend's house in the country. The experience brings sweet country longings to this suburbanite soccer mom. The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They ran barefoot in the yard. They traipsed through the woods and climbed the banks of the creek. They felt the water and mud of the creek between their toes. They came home muddy, tired, and happy. On the trip home, we stopped on the quiet country road and snapped some pictures to take home with us. Now, when that urge for the sweet country life hits, we can pull out the pictures and reminisce about good friends and good country fun!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

We are fighting against basic human nature. When one of the boys gets his feelings hurt, he automatically pays back evil for evil. It is human nature. We keep telling them, "Treat others the way you want to be treated," but they, like all people, do not see the fairness of it. "But he hit me first." "He said it first." And of course (all parents' favorite), "He touched me!" This week a verse jumped out at me and we will be working it into our daily brotherhood prescription.

"Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men."~ Romans 12:17-18 NKJV

Oh, what a challenge for my boys. You know--it is a challenge for me, too. Writing God's truths on my childrens' hearts is my greatest challenge. The hardest part is, it has to begin with me. They see hypocrisy in an instant, so here we go. We are going to start with this verse today!

Monday, May 23, 2011

This weekend I needed to make lemonade, but not the kind your thinking! Yes, on a hot day, a tall glass of lemonade can sooth the parched throat and sweeten the day. This was a warm, summer-like weekend, but what I really needed was new perspective. How could "lemonade" help find a new perspective?

As a kid, when the going got rough, my Mom would say, "Make lemonade." Of course, she was referring to the saying, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." This has stuck with me over the years. It may sound trite, but in every situation, we can look for the good. We can choose to see the good and focus on the blessings.

As I struggled this weekend with a sick baby, an out-of-town Daddy, grumpy kids and a mommy who was not feeling so good, I tried to look for the good. Not every moment went so well, for the "sugar" was sometimes in short supply. Here's what I came up with for our weekend situation:

We are so blessed to have modern medicine to take care of our little guy's ear infection.

I am beyond grateful for all the help and support from extended family. Grandparents are a joy and I'm so glad they were there for my children's soccer games this weekend!

I am so glad that my hubby got the opportunity for a weekend retreat. When we miss him this much, we know how very special he is to us.

Yes, grumpy moments came for the kids and for mommy, but so did very special, sweet moments. I'm going to choose to remember the sweet moments.

"Making lemonade" out of difficult situations can be hard, but it is worthwhile. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 directs us to "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." In every situation, we have the choice of how we are going to approach it.

In the little moments and in the large life trials, we have a choice. How will we approach this small bump or large mountain? Even when "making lemonade" is hard, God can and will give us the grace to rejoice in every situation. We can seek his face and find a way to give thanks. Can you find something to give thanks for in your challenging situation? Do you have any special moments when you were able to "make lemonade" and it changed your perspective?

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Yesterday, I found myself slipping back into old habits. "Don't get muddy!" and "Stay of of the water!" rang forth across our front yard. The truth of the matter is, little boys playing in a muddy yard are bound to get dirty. I can issue orders to stay clean, but if I really want them to stay clean, I need to keep them inside. Being that I want them to play outside, the reality of spring and summer must take precedence. Another day, another pair of dirty socks will just have to rule the day!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Lately, I have been a bit scatter brained. I flit about my day approaching one task after the other, without thought to my greater purpose. These verses really spoke to me this morning:

"Lord, You have searched me and know me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it."
~ Psalm 139:1-6 NKJV

This shoots to the core of me. The Lord knows my sitting down and my rising up. He knows that I am sitting down at the computer this morning. He is aware that I have avoided the dirty dishes. He knows me. He sees me. He has put up boundaries (hedged) around me, and put his hand upon me.

As I have gone about my day, flitting from activity to activity, God has had his hand upon me. This is sobering. My sweet boys lay upstairs and will soon be joining me for the day. I can continue to flit about my days without focusing on the greater purpose, or I can choose to focus on HIS purpose. He has taken the time to know me and to love me. As the first morning sounds from my youngest boy trickle down the stairs, I am praying that this day be filled with his purpose. His hand is upon me, and I pray that I will remain in His presence today. I pray that this day, you remember that He made you and His hand is upon you.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Therefore do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat? or "What shall we drink", or "What shall we wear?" For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
~Matthew 6:31-34 NKJV

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

It seems so unfair when parents say, "Do as I say, not as I do." Even though it's unfair, that's sometimes how we roll! When it comes to shoes in the house, my kids have a bum deal. While the boys have to take their shoes off at the front door, I wear my shoes in the house. Here are the top reasons why I support this unfair rule:

10. Getting dirty is fun for the boys.

9. The boys regularly puddle-stomp.

8. I have two pairs of gym shoes - one to keep nice and clean, one for outside/dirty work. The boys also have a pair to keep nice and one for outside/dirty work - they just forget which is which!

7. A clean house does not make it on the boys top ten priority list.

6. Wearing shoes increases my productivity, while the boys have no energy deficit.

5. I wipe my feet before entering the house.

4. My accessories include earrings, a wedding ring and sometimes a bracelet. The boys must have accessories include dirt, mud, and sticks.

Monday, May 16, 2011

When I hear a question like, "Mom, can we go tadpole hunting?", my knee jerk reaction is usually either "No", "Maybe later", or "Wait". I tend to first think of the mess that will come from the experience instead of the joy that it will bring. Unfortunately, if I don't allow the experience now, later may never come. So that my boys can experience the joys of childhood, I am working on saying "Yes" more often. The mess and dirt are temporary, the impact of moments like this last.

As I work on saying, "Yes" more often, I am watching my boys grow into men. Yes, there are footprints on my carpet and the laundry is piling up, but these boys will only be boys for a moment. Like tadpoles rapidly become frogs the boys are quickly becoming men. The laundry and footprints can wait for tomorrow, my boys can't.

The glories of childhood.

There has to be some in there!

"Do you see what I see?"

Is there something that you can say "yes" to, when your first reaction might have been "no"?﻿

Saturday, May 7, 2011

My Mom would hold her babies and sing a very special song. You may know some of the words:

Oh, How I Love Jesus

There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth;It sounds like music in my ear,The sweetest name on earth.

Oh, how I love Jesus,Oh, how I love Jesus,Oh, how I love Jesus,Because He first loved me!

Then, my mom made the song special for each one of her babies. When she held me, she sang:

Oh, how I love Christine,Oh, how I love Christine,Oh, how I love Christine,Because God gave her to me!

She gave special meaning to this song, and with it, she poured out her love upon us. This tradition continues with her grandchildren. She has held each boy, rocked them, and sang them this special hymn.

Thank you to my mother, mother-in-law, grandmothers, aunts and great-grandmothers. Thank you to each woman who holds a child in her arms, tells them of her love and points them to the Savior!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

I posted this as a comment on my good friends Hannah's blog. Afterwords, I noticed tons of spelling errors - who me? I am reposting here, hopefully with not so many errors. Please, check out her blog. She's awsome!

Favorite Black Bean Skillet

The Players

1/2 - 1/3 lb. bacon, cut into small pieces (please, no imitations - this is not diet food!)

chicken broth to cover (whatever your fancy, use what you have - I use chicken soup base from a jar, mixed with hot water)

salt and pepper, to taste

* Rice, cooked to directions

The Stage Directions
Set the stage with one big, deep wide frying device. I use the biggest skillet I own. Start by frying up that beautiful bacon. Please, I repeat, use the real deal - this IS NOT DIET FOOD! Pull out that brown, crispy glory and reserve for later. Originally, when I cooked this recipe, it called for 1 lb. I am too cheap to do that. I find that a little less than half a pound gives great flavor, with less $$$ and calories. (Well, just because it's not diet food doesn't mean we have to go completely crazy!) Now, leave that bacon fat right where it is. You are going to use that flavor and fat to make this dish Divine. Take your vegetation (onions, peppers & garlic), put them in that fat and listen to them sizzle. Watch and stir them them until they are translucent. Oh, the sight, oh the smell - be still my beating heart. Now that they are glorious and beautiful, pour in the already cooked beans and cover with broth. Now, it is important to taste before salting. I use a soup base with sodium; I never add extra salt. If you use the healthy, homemade stuff, it will be delightful, but you will need to salt. I like to add a good amount of pepper, but I have to remember the kids have to be able to swallow this too. Bring the dish to a boil, reduce and simmer until liquid has mostly been absorbed & evaporated. Now take those bacon bits and mix them in. While you were cooking the beans, you also needed to be fixing rice. Now that the dish is ready, ladle those babies over a steaming pile of rice. If you don't like your food touching, I know you're out there, go ahead, put the beans on the side. If you really want to go hog wild, serve with fried plantains (family favorite) and sliced pineapple, mango, or something else tropical. This meal melts my bloggy hubby's heart. As a matter of fact, melts my bloggy kiddo's hearts too. Mine is melting at the thought. Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
~Matthew 6:19-21

Little man is living proof that you are never too young for music. He has listened to music from the time he was "knit together". Even as a newborn, he would sit on my lap as I played the piano. It is no wonder that one of his favorite pass times includes those black and white keys. He loves to play for himself, but his favorite moment comes when I reach around his squeezable self and play for him. He bobs and sways to the music and restrains his hands from playing so that he can catch every note. Today, he moved to "A Tisket, A Tasket" and "Mary Had A Little Lamb". He just melts the heart of his music loving mama!

Monday, May 2, 2011

What did my mother, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers do after they ate dinner? They first poured water in the sink (they might have even had to heat the water first). Then, they got cracking and washed those dishes by hand. Big Brother and I had a lesson in the hard work our "foremothers" put forth for every meal. As a home educator, I would love to tell you that I planned this as a lesson of gratitude. In reality, lessons of gratitude are often thrust upon us. We'll be remembering our "foremothers" this week, while we figure out what to do with our "vacationing" dishwasher. Thank you to all those women who worked so hard for every meal of the day. Also - a big thank you to the creator of the dishwasher!

Breaking News on the Fashion Forward Spring Soccer Fields. This just in . . . . reports are filtering in that boots are in, in a big way. If you want to be part of the crowd, you must hurry now. Time is limited, this trend may be ending by . . . . . well reports are saying, by June. Hurry to get in on this most popular new trend!

Glad you stopped by!

About Me

As a wife and mother of three boys, I am busy. During my busy days, I am striving to focus on the joys in our life and documenting the good that comes our way. Through the grace given me by my Savior, Jesus Christ, I want to think on the good, the pure and the lovely.

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My Verse

Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there be any virture and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.